ULMO SENDS HIGHLANDERS TO BIG SOUTH SEMIFINALS

BOX SCORE Follow @RadfordMSOC | Tweet #RadfordMS

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Bernardo Ulmo remained one of the hottest players in the Big South scoring his fifth goal in seven games to advance No. 5 Radford 2-1 in overtime over No. 4 Gardner-Webb in the conference tournament quarterfinals. The golden goal was Ulmo's fourth game-winner of the season.

Ulmo took a perfectly placed service from Ramzi Dridi on a run at the six in front of the Runnin' Bulldog net and one-timed off his right foot at the 97:11 mark. It was the team-high ninth goal of the season for the first-team All-Big South selection and the 24th of his career.

"Gardner-Webb is an incredibly talented and well-coached group," RU head coach Marc Reeves said. "This was a tightly contested conference quarterfinal that hinged on a couple of details. I am obviously very pleased and happy for our guys and our seniors to keep it going."

The weather played a factor in the game with temperatures in the high 30s and the wind gusting up to 30 miles per hour.

Radford played the first half with the wind in its favor and put together six shots, but only one was on frame. GWU netminder, Matthew Swan turned away Ulmo's right-footed touch to keep the game scoreless in the 24th minute. Ealier, it was Bismark Amofah who kept the game scoreless for the Highlanders.

Gardner-Webb's corner kick in the 20th minute cleared to the far post past goalkeeper Dane Wilson, but Amofah was at the post and cleared Matt Bogart's shot off the line.

The first score of the night went to Gardner-Webb. Denzel Clarke fed Iman Mafi from just beyond the 18, and Mafi lined a cross past Wilson in the lower left third at the 27:44 mark of the first half.

Much of the second half was played in the midfield with neither team mounting much of an advantage until a hard tackle changed the momentum in favor of Radford.

Gardner-Webb's Bryce Wells received his second yellow card with 28 minutes to play allowing Radford to play with a man advantage, and the Highlanders took advantage. Eight minutes following in the 70th minute, Sergio Arzubiaga knocked home his first goal of the season when he found a loose ball at the 6 after a redirect from Joe Mayer.

"We kept the ball alive in the box by Joe, and we had some good juice off the bench. Sergio is guy who plays with power and strength. I am happy he got his first goal," Reeves said.

Wilson kept the game tied with a point blank save with 13 to play. Clarke's laser was stopped and then deflected off the post, but Wilson got enough of it to keep the game all square and setting up the overtime winner for Ulmo.

Radford (9-6-4) advances to Friday's Big South semifinal vs. top-seeded and nationally-ranked Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers defeated Winthrop 2-1 tonight. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C. Longwood and Liberty will meet in the other semifinal immediately following.

Tweet #Will2Win

Print Friendly Version